Artificial hand.



J. F. ROWLEY.

ARTIFICIAL HAND.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, m2.

1,1@L3%@ Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

31 r' dill ARTIFICIAL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. as; role.

Application filed June .19, 1912. Serial No. 704,562.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat 1, JAMES F. RowLnY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Hands, of which the following is a specification. X

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved construction for artificial hands wherein the fingers of the hand are capable of manipulation for extension and contraction; to provide improved means for controlling the manipulation ofthe hand in performing these functions; to provide improved means normally urging said fingers toward a gripping or contracted position; to provide improved. means adapted to be controlled by the contortionor. certain movement of the shoulder or body of the wearer for urging said fingers toward an open or extended position; to provide improved mechanism for locking said fingers in gripping position; to provide improved means for releasing said lockingmechanism' when it is desired to open said fingers; to provide an improved construction whereby certain fingers on the hand are positively manipulated and the other fingers indirectly actuated through the positive manipulation of said certain fingers; and to provide an artificial hand of this kind particularly adapted for use with amputations below the elbow.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation of a hand constructed according to this invention, parts thereof being shown in section and in (lottcd outline. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail taken on the line AA of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sec tional detail of the connection between. adjacent fingers taken on the line B-B of Fi 1. Fig. 4. is a perspective view of the hanc and the mechanism by which it is connected to the body, and by which it is operated.

In the construction shown in the drawings a pair of substantially cylindrical members 1 and 2 are arranged one within the other so as to have a relative movement.

A stud 3 is secured to the member 1 and protrudes through an aperture in the end of the member 2. to the exterior thereof. The

stud 3 is provided with a head 4 to which the frame members or finger elements 5', 6

. frame members 12 and 13 of the fingers 14 and 15 are respectively connected on the pivots 16 and 17 to opposite sides-of the members 6 and 7. The-members 12 and 13 are further connected .to the members 6 and 7 by flat springs 18 and 19 by means of which the shifting of the members 12 and 13 is indirectlysecured simultaneously with the shifting of the members 6 and 7. The springs 18 and 19 are of a thin flat construction, and are'bowed rearwardly, as indi cated in Fig. 3, so as to insure the proper shifting of. the members 12 and 13 with respect to members 6 and 7.

The frame members 5, 6 and 7 each have integrally formed thereon a shoulder or lug 20 in the shape of a hook, the outer surface of which practically constitutes a cam surface extending forwardly and rearwardly.

of the pivotal connection of the membersto the head. A. suitable cam is arranged to coact with the hooks 20, which is in the form of a bar or ring 21- of circular cross-section rigidly supported by the lugs 22 on the end of the member 2. A coiled spring 23 is arranged between the ends of the members 1 and 2, embracing the stud 8 and housed within the cup 24. The spring 28 normally exerts a pressure urging the ends of the members 1 and 2 away from each other, therebycausing the bar or cam 21 to exert a pressure on the cam surface of the frame members 5, (i and 7 forwardly of their pivotal connection to the head 4, thus urging the members toward a contracted or closed position.

Mechanism is provided for causing the relative movement of the members 1 and- 2 against the action of the spring 23 which comprises a. sleeve pivotally connected at 26 to the member 1, the suspender 27 connected to the sleeve 25 by the shoulder pad 28, and the suspender 29 connected to the member 2. Locking mechanism is also provided for securing the fingers in any desired position. This locking mechanism comprises a block 30 slidably mounted in a slot formedin the lug 31 carried on the end of themember 2. The block 30 is provided with aplurality of notches 32 on one face and is normally urged by the spring 33-to cause the engagement of the notches 32 with the notches 34 formed on the exterior of the cup 24, The spring 33 is secured to a pin 35 and is in a semi-circle around the-cup 24 and attached, to the block 30, as shown 'in dotted outline'in Fig. 2. A cord 36 is attached to the block 30, and extends through an aperture 37 in the member 2 and is connected to the suspender 29, whereby the block is retracted when an attempt is made to cause the relative movement of the members 1 and 2 through a strain on the suspender 29.

The operation of the device is as follows: The deviceis placed, upon the wearer by fitting the stump of the arm below the elbow within the member 1, and securing it in place thereon by means of the sleeve 25 Which embraces the arm above the elbow. The suspenders27 and 29 and the shoulder pad-28 are secured to the body of the wearer in the usual manner, the arrangement being such that a tension may be exerted on the are urged apart.

ment of the notches 32 and 34.

When a tension is exerted on the suspender 29, the cord 36 is caused to retract the block 30 so as to permit of a relative movement of the members 1 and 2 for the purpose of opening the hand, which 'is caused by the cam or bar 21 bearing on the hooks 20 of the frame members 5, (3 and 7,

rearwardly of their pivotal connection to theh'ead 4:. After the hand has been opened the wearer may direct its movement toward an object that is to be gripped upon releas- ..ing the tension which has been exerted upon the suspender 29, the spring 23 will urge the members 1 and 2 apart and cause the cam or bar 21 to bear on the hooks 20 forwardly of the pivotal connection to the head i and thereby urge the fingers into their gripping position upon the object upon which they have been placed. .The fingers are held in their gripping position on the object by the engagement of the notches 32 and 3-l on the block 30 and the cup 24.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has-been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims:

I claim:

1. An artificial hand, comprising a pair of relatively movable members, a plurality of finger supporting elements yieldingly mounted on one of saidmembers, and means on the other said member engaging said finger supporting elements adjacent to their connection to said member and actuated through the relative movement of said members'to positively shift said finger supporting elements for moving the fingers toward open and closed positions.

2. An artificial hand, comprising a pair of relatively movable members, a plurality of finger elements yieldingly mounted on one of said members, means on the othen said memberengaging said finger elements adjacent to their connection to said member and actuated through the relative movement of said members for positively shifting said finger elements toward open and closed positions, and other means normally urging said members to cause said first mentioned means to shift said finger elements toward one of said positions.

' 3. An artificial hand, comprising a pair of relatively movable members, a plurality of finger elements yieldingly mounted on one of said members, means on the other said member engaging said finger elements and actuated through the relative movement of said members for positively shifting said finger elements toward open and closed positions, other means normally urging said members to cause said first mentioned means .to shift said finger elements toward one of said positions, and locking mechanism adapted to normally secure said finger ele ments against being shifted in said opposite direction.

4. An artificial hand comprising a pair of relatively movable members, a plurality of finger elements yieldingly mounted on one of said members, means on the bthcr said member engaging said linger elements and actuated through the relative movement of said members for positively shifting said finger elements toward open and closed positions, other means normally urging said members to cause said first mentioned means to shift said finger elements toward their closed position, locking mechanism adapted to normally secure said finger 'elcments against being shifted toward their open position, and other mechanism for releasing said locking mechanism .when said finger elements are to be shifted toward their open positions. K

5. An artificial hand comprising a pair of relatively movable members, a plurality of finger elements pivotally mounted on one of said members, and adapted to be oppositely adapted to control the positive shifting of shifted toward open and closed positions, means carried by the other said member and said finger elements through the relative movement of. said members, and other finger elements yieldingly connected to said first finger elements and indirectly shifted through the positive shifting-of said first' mentioned .finger elements.

6. An artificial hand comprising a pair of relatively movable members telescopically arranged ,one Within the other, a part on the inner member extending to the exterior of the outer member, a plurality of finger elements yieldingly mounted on said part, and adapted to be oppositely shifted toward open and closed positions, and means carried by said outer member adapted to control the shifting of said finger elements through the relative movement of said members.

7. An artificial hand comprising a pair of relatively movable members arranged one within the other, a part on the inner member extending to the exterior of the outer member, a plurality of finger elements yieldingly mounted on said part, and adapted to be oppositely shifted toward open and closed positions, yielding means normally acting between said members andadapted to shift said finger elements toward one of said positions, and means carried on said outer member and adapted to shift said members toward the other said position through the relative movement of said members.

8. An artificial hand. comprising a pair of relatively movable members arranged one within the other, a part on the inner member extending to the exterior of the outer member, a plurality of finger elements yieldingly mounted on said part and adapted to be "shiftedtoward open and closed positions,

yielding means acting between said members and normally urging said finger elements toward a closed position, means carried by said outer member andadaptedto shift said finger elements toward said open position through the relative movement of said members, and locking means carried by one of said members and adapted to lock said members against relative movement for securing I said finger elements in one of said positions.

9. An artificial hand comprising a pair" of relatively movable members arranged one within the other, a part on the inner member extending to the exterior of the outer memher, a plurality of finger elements yieldingly mounted on said part and adapted to be shifted toward open and closed positions, yielding means acting between said members and normally urging said finger elements toward 'a closed position, means carried by said outer member and adapted to shift said finger elements toward said open position through the relative movement of said memhers, operatiz'ig mechanism for causing the part and adapted to be shifted toward open and closed positions, cam surfaces formed on said finger elements adjacent to their pivotal connection to said part, a cam carried by said outer member and adapted to engage said cam surfaces, yielding means acting between said members and adapted to cause said cam to urge said finger elements toward said closed position, and operating mechanism adapted to cause a relative movement of said members for causing said cam to shift said finger elements toward said open position.

11. An artificialv hand comprising a pair of members arranged one within the other and relatively movable in an axial direction, a part on the inner member extending to, the exterior of the outer member, a plurality of finger elements pivotally mounted on said part and adapted to be shifted towardopen and closed positions, coacting means on said finger elements and said outer member adapted to cause theshifting of said finger elements through the relative movement of said members, and yielding means normally urging the relative movement of said members in one direction, and operating mechanism for obtaining the relative movement of saidmembers in the opposite direction.

12. An artificial hand comprising a pair of substantially cylindrical members arranged one within the other and adapted to have relative movement in an axial direction, a stud on the inner member extending to the exterior of the outer member, a plurality of finger elements pivotally mounted ,on the outer end of said stud, hooks formed on said finger elements, a bar supported on said outer member in spaced relation thereto and adapted to engage said hooks, yielding means acting between said members for obtaining a relative movement of said members to cause said finger elements to be shifted toward a closed position through the coaction of said bar and hooks, and operating mechanis adapted to cause an opposite relativemovement of said members for shifting said finger elements to an open position through the coaotion of said bar and hooks.

of substantially cylindrical members arranged one Within the other and adapted to have relative movement in -an axial direc-;

tion, a stud on the inner member extending to the exterior of the outer member, a plurality .of finger elements pivotally mounted .on the outer end of said stud, hooks formed on said finger elements, a bar supported on said outer member in spacedrelation thereto-and adapted to engage said hooks, yielding means acting between said 'members for obtaining a relative movement adapted to secure said members against relative movement, said locking mechanism comprising a plurality of shoulders on said inner member, a block slidably mounted on a slot on said outer member, and having shoulders thereon opposed to the shoulder of said inner member, a spring normally urging said block to cause the shoulder thereon to engage the shoulder on said iiiner member, and means for retracting said block. I

14. An artificial hand, comprising a pair of relatively movable members, a plurality of finger elements yieldingly mounted on one of said members, means on the other said member engaging said finger elements and actuated through the relative movement of said members for positively shifting said finger elements toward open and closed positions, other means normally urging said members to cause said first mentioned means to shift said finger elements toward one of said positions, and suspenders connected to said members and adapted to engage'the body of the wearer so as to cause relative movement of said members through a movement of the \vearers body.

15. An artificial hand comprising a pair of relatively movable members, a plurality of finger elements yieldingly mounted on one of said members, and adapted to be oppositely shifted toward open and closed positions, a circular part carried by the other said member and embracing said finger elements adjacent to their connection to said one member and to shift the same, and means adapted to cause the relative move-' ment of said members and thereby to cause said circular part to shift said finger elements.

Signed at Chicago this 14th day of J une JAMES F. ROVVLEY. Witnesses:

\VM. R. RUMMLER, EDWIN PHELPS.

Copies of this patent'may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D'. 0. 

